Adhesive residue removal apparatus and adhesive residue removal method

Abstract

The present invention provides an adhesive residue removal apparatus capable of removing pellicle adhesive residue efficiently without damaging a pattern surface. An adhesive residue removal apparatus for removing organic matter existing as pellicle adhesive residue on a surface of a reticle when a pellicle is separated from the reticle includes a head adapted to generate atmospheric pressure plasma and emit the generated atmospheric pressure plasma to organic matter existing on a surface of a workpiece W; and a control unit adapted to control the atmospheric pressure plasma under irradiation conditions as the atmospheric pressure plasma is emitted from the head to remove the pellicle adhesive residue from the surface of the workpiece.

1 . An adhesive residue removal apparatus for removing organic matter existing as pellicle adhesive residue on a surface of a reticle when a pellicle is separated from the reticle, the apparatus comprising:
 a generating unit adapted to generate atmospheric pressure plasma by converting oxygen contained in harmless gas (clean dry air) into active oxygen radicals at a predetermined pressure around atmospheric pressure or sub-atmospheric pressure;   an irradiating unit adapted to emit the generated atmospheric pressure plasma to the organic matter; and   a control unit adapted to control the atmospheric pressure plasma under predetermined conditions (irradiation conditions), the atmospheric pressure plasma being emitted to the organic matter by the irradiating unit.   
     
     
         2 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drive mechanism adapted to adjust a distance from a place from which the atmospheric pressure plasma is emitted by the irradiating unit to the organic matter, wherein
 the conditions include at least a flow rate of the harmless gas (clean dry air) per unit time, the distance from the place from which the atmospheric pressure plasma is emitted by the irradiating unit to the organic matter, and an irradiation time for which the atmospheric pressure plasma is emitted by the irradiating unit, and the control unit controls emission of the atmospheric pressure plasma under the conditions, the atmospheric pressure plasma being emitted by the irradiating unit.   
     
     
         3 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the control unit performs control such that the flow rate of the harmless gas (clean dry air) per unit time is in a range of 3 [L/min] to 5000[L/min]. 
     
     
         4 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the control unit performs control such that the distance from the place from which the atmospheric pressure plasma is emitted by the irradiating unit to the organic matter is in a range of 6 [mm] to 7 [mm]. 
     
     
         5 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the control unit performs control such that the irradiation time for which the atmospheric pressure plasma is emitted by the irradiating unit is in a range of 10 [sec] to 15 [sec]. 
     
     
         6 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic matter to be removed includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an ethyl (meth)acrylate elastomer, a (meth)acrylate ester elastomer, a mask adhesive and the like, the mask adhesive containing 100 parts by mass of a styrenic resin and 35 to 170 parts by mass (both inclusive) of a hardness modifier (B), the hardness modifier containing polypropylene (b1) and a propylene elastomer, where a phase-separated structure formed by a continuous phase of the styrenic resin and a dispersed phase of the hardness modifier is observed in an electron micrograph of the mask adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the harmless gas is clean dry air. 
     
     
         8 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a component of the organic matter to be removed is n-butyl poly(meth)acrylate. 
     
     
         9 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the harmless gas is clean dry air. 
     
     
         10 . An adhesive residue removal method for removing adhesive residue remaining on a reticle when a pellicle is separated from the reticle, the method comprising:
 generating atmospheric pressure plasma by converting oxygen contained in harmless gas (clean dry air) into active oxygen radicals at a predetermined pressure around atmospheric pressure or sub-atmospheric pressure; and   emitting the generated atmospheric pressure plasma to the organic matter based on predetermined conditions (irradiation conditions).   
     
     
         11 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the organic matter to be removed includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an ethyl (meth)acrylate elastomer, a (meth)acrylate ester elastomer, a mask adhesive and the like, the mask adhesive containing 100 parts by mass of a styrenic resin and 35 to 170 parts by mass (both inclusive) of a hardness modifier (B), the hardness modifier containing polypropylene (b1) and a propylene elastomer, where a phase-separated structure formed by a continuous phase of the styrenic resin and a dispersed phase of the hardness modifier is observed in an electron micrograph of the mask adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the organic matter to be removed includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an ethyl (meth)acrylate elastomer, a (meth)acrylate ester elastomer, a mask adhesive and the like, the mask adhesive containing 100 parts by mass of a styrenic resin and 35 to 170 parts by mass (both inclusive) of a hardness modifier (B), the hardness modifier containing polypropylene (b1) and a propylene elastomer, where a phase-separated structure formed by a continuous phase of the styrenic resin and a dispersed phase of the hardness modifier is observed in an electron micrograph of the mask adhesive. 
     
     
         13 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the organic matter to be removed includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an ethyl (meth)acrylate elastomer, a (meth)acrylate ester elastomer, a mask adhesive and the like, the mask adhesive containing 100 parts by mass of a styrenic resin and 35 to 170 parts by mass (both inclusive) of a hardness modifier (B), the hardness modifier containing polypropylene (b1) and a propylene elastomer, where a phase-separated structure formed by a continuous phase of the styrenic resin and a dispersed phase of the hardness modifier is observed in an electron micrograph of the mask adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the organic matter to be removed includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an ethyl (meth)acrylate elastomer, a (meth)acrylate ester elastomer, a mask adhesive and the like, the mask adhesive containing 100 parts by mass of a styrenic resin and 35 to 170 parts by mass (both inclusive) of a hardness modifier (B), the hardness modifier containing polypropylene (b1) and a propylene elastomer, where a phase-separated structure formed by a continuous phase of the styrenic resin and a dispersed phase of the hardness modifier is observed in an electron micrograph of the mask adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a component of the organic matter to be removed is n-butyl poly(meth)acrylate. 
     
     
         16 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein a component of the organic matter to be removed is n-butyl poly(meth)acrylate. 
     
     
         17 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a component of the organic matter to be removed is n-butyl poly(meth)acrylate. 
     
     
         18 . The adhesive residue removal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein a component of the organic matter to be removed is n-butyl poly(meth)acrylate.